The Christmas Place
by BMillsWrites
Summary: Cody's special holiday plans with Yolei go wrong as he must begin to come to terms with her growing feelings for the reforming Ken. Yolei takes drastic action to make things right.


The Christmas Place

[General Disclaimer: I don't own Digimon or its characters. Their use in the following work of fiction is for entertainment purposes only.]

[AN: Imagine this story within the framework of 02, Christmas is approaching, but the Digidestined are not at the point where Ken delivers the invitations to his party. Where does this come from? I've yet to do a story where Cody confronts the fact that Yolei has more serious feelings for Ken Ichijouji than simple friendship. It's also days before Christmas, 2001, and I haven't gotten anything for my readers yet :). This will have to do. Thanks to all who have given me a readership on FFN this year, and renewed my love of writing for leisure. Merry Christmas and Happy New Year in 2002. -- BM]

**********

Though it was still a full week before Christmas, the schools were recessed for the long holiday break that wouldn't end until after New Year's Day. Cody Hida, like the other newer Digidestined, was taking a brief respite from the task of demolishing control spires in the Digital World. Actually, on any other day Cody would have steadfastly insisted on spending as much time as possible on the demolitions, the better to end the threat of that evil spider-women, Arukenimon. However, the older members of his group wanted to enjoy a little of the break first, and today the small boy would tolerate the delay because he had plans with Yolei outside the apartment. The time to meet his older and best friend was approaching, but right now Cody was reading quietly to his Digimon partner, Upamon, who was seeking to understand a little more about Christmas. The boy was attempting to finish narrating A Christmas Carol, by Charles Dickens. Upamon knew that Cody had reached a really good part of the story as the boy creaked his quiet voice into the character of Ebeneezer Scrooge. "Oh Spirit, tell me these are but shadows of the things that may be ... why show me these things if they cannot be changed? Oh tell me I may sponge away the writing on this stone!"

"Gosh you're a really good reader Cody!" Upamon praised, bouncing up and down on the boy's bed. 

"Thank you Upamon." Cody nodded appreciatively from his sitting position on the bedside. Upamon was a generally uncritical audience, but a very restless one. 

Before Cody could relocate his place on the page and continue Upamon decided to ask a little more about the meaning of the story in relation to the coming holiday. "It sounds like that Scrooge guy is ready to change his ways alright, but is that what Christmas is Cody, a time to change?" 

The youngster looked up from the book and thought for a moment about his partner's question. "Christmas means a lot of things Upamon, and the chance to change is certainly part of it. See Christmastime is a time to be happy and make other people happy too. If someone isn't happy or doesn't make others happy at other times then Christmas is a good time to change that. I think that's why the writer here has the spirits of Christmas lead Scrooge to change." He was only trying to give Upamon as detailed an answer as possible, but the shining way the Digimon looked up at him made Cody feel embarrassingly profound and revered. 

Suddenly, Upamon had an amazing realization to share, prefaced with several high bounces. "That's like you Digidestined and Ken! You've led him to change from being the mean Digimon Emperor and now he's one of the good guys, just in time for Christmas!" 

Cody Hida's face reflexively formed into a scowl at the name of Ken Ichijouji. "I just don't know about him Upamon. It's true that he's not the Digimon Emperor anymore, and he is helping with taking down all the control spires -- which he created. Still, I have to wonder if he's sorry just because he's embarrassed for himself or if he truly regrets what he really did wrong, hurting you Digimon and treating the Digital World like his game. Until I know for sure, I just can't accept him." 

The reluctance of his human partner made the yellow Digimon a little sad, but Upamon wasn't going to give up. "Gee Cody, I've been counting and Ken's saved you three times hasn't he? Once when that little control spire Digimon blew you into the sky, , then when Arukenimon was going to make me drill you as Digmon, and when you fell from the big web in Arukenimon's trap. Plus you've saved Ken twice: when he was going to get swept down the big sink in that giant house, and by figuring out how to blow that nasty giant spider off the big web." 

Cody sighed, "Yes I know Upamon, I still owe him one, and I will repay that debt." 

"That's not what I mean Cody." Upamon burbled gently. "I mean you and Ken had to work together pretty close and pretty well to save each other that many times already. I don't think the number of who saved who how many times actually matters all that much. And Cody ... I think you and Ken can be friends." The Digimon knew he was pushing it, and braced for one of Cody's mild scolds, but it never came. 

"Maybe ..." The youngster admitted hesitantly. "Those were some emergency situations, Upamon. Ken was thinking pretty fast and so was I. We had to, especially to survive Arukinemon's treachery that one day. Knowledge respects knowledge when facing a problem, but that doesn't mean Ken and I will be friends. I just don't know if that's possible." 

"Well being a Digimon, I have to think it is." Upamon stated with emphasis, bouncing into Cody's lap. "Like I've said before Digimon change all the time, so we give humans who change the benefit of the doubt. The other Digidestined have accepted him." 

"That might be way to trusting Upamon." Cody advised. "I'll be the cautious one for the group ... again ... where Ken Ichijouji is concerned." The small boy was scowling again. 

However, the inspired little yellow Digimon believed he owed it to his first Christmas to give the issue of Ken one last try from a reason more specific to Cody than just the current Digidestined team. "Cody, you know Yolei likes Ken, right?" 

"Yes Upamon, I know the others like Ken now." 

Upamon wiggled from side to side, indicating disagreement. "No Cody, I mean Yolei likes Ken the way that Kari and TK like each other." 

Cody groaned a bit. "First of all Upamon, it's not really polite to gossip. Secondly, I think Yolei likes every boy near her age the way that TK and Kari like each other, or more like the way Davis likes Kari." The small boy actually smiled momentarily. 

"I think it's different." his Digimon partner still contended. "Wormmon told me Ken feels the same way about Yolei, only he's more shy than she is. Poromon says Yolei thinks about Ken all the time now, too." 

"Not this afternoon she won't." Cody said confidently, dismissing the gushy gossip. "This afternoon Yolei and I will do something special, just the two of us -- just like the old days." True the old days were merely five years ago, but still a significant amount of time to a nine year old. 

"Really? What are you going to do, and can I come?" Upamon pried and pleaded. 

"Not this time, sorry. This is just for me and Yolei, it's a tradition." Cody explained apologetically. "It all started this time of year five years ago when I was four and Yolei was eight. If you think Yolei is adventurous now, you should have seen her then. She liked going on 'expeditions', usually right out the apartment building and into trouble. Well, this one time our mothers told Yolei that any further expeditions had to have me in tow, be safe enough for me, and not leave the apartment building. I guess they thought that would fix her, but Yolei proved she was still game, even with a little me as a handicap. Anyway, it was about this close to Christmas when Yolei was adventuring in the basement of the apartment building, and dragging me along for the ride. That's when we found our Christmas place." 

"A Christmas place?" Upamon repeated, mystified. 

Cody smiled, "It's a compartment built into the floor of the basement here. It has an electric light and there's enough room down there for two grown-ups to stand and walk around a little. It seemed big to Yolei and me five years ago, and its only gotten a little smaller since then, at least for me. Even then it seemed to be forgotten, the little trap door was all dusty, Yolei had to brush it off before I would go near it. There was some kind of pin keeping it closed, but she got rid of that too. There's a stripped control box down there. I think it used to be where they originally turned the building's heating system on and off from, but someone must have moved all that a long time ago. As far as I know, only Yolei and I use it anymore. 

"But why is it a Christmas place?" Upamon pressed, exasperated. 

Cody gave his Digimon friend a thoughtful look that both embodied and projected patience. "You remember how I said you had to wait for Christmas presents, and how you can hardly stand it, right?" The boy continued when Upamon nodded. "Well, Yolei's a lot like that, and always has been around Christmas. The reason we were on the expedition that day was because Yolei couldn't take being in her apartment and not knowing what she was getting for presents. When we first got into that compartment she told me it was a Christmas place, and we could talk about what we wanted for Christmas, and tell secrets about what we were going to give others. I may have only been four then, but I still didn't fall for that second part. Yolei said she just couldn't wait for a Christmas present anymore, and that we should give each other one right then and there -- whatever we had with us. She gave me a purple crayon she'd left in her pocket and I gave her a handkerchief my Mom had given me before leaving with Yolei." That was the start of it, and we've met there every year since, just us. So today's the day, one week before Christmas. We decided on 1:00 PM for a regular time, as long as school is out." 

"Oh boy Cody, that's great!" Upamon affirmed. "Do you still exchange presents?" he wondered. 

"Yes," Cody expounded with simple satisfaction. "That's the other part of the tradition. We each give the other a homemade present to celebrate meeting in the Christmas place. This year, I know Yolei will like mine." 

"What is it?" The Digimon inquired, excited. 

"I'll show you Upamon, because I'm sure you'll appreciate it too." Cody went over to open his backpack, and gingerly lifted out two objects carefully wrapped in cloth. He brought these to the bed, where Upamon could see, and unwrapped them. The youngster had made papier-mâché reproductions of the Digieggs of Knowledge and Love. 

"Oh Cody! They're terrific!" Upamon beamed. 

"Thank you, Upamon. They took me a long time in art at school, the teacher was surprised that I could do something so 'abstract'. They did turn out well." Cody assessed. He looked at the clock and saw it was just after 12 PM. "I guess we'll have to finish up with Scrooge later Upamon. I want to be there early so I need to get ready to go, OK?" 

"OK Cody." Upamon understood. "But Cody, promise me something. Promise that you and me can have our own traditions someday too, OK." 

"Of course we will, Upamon. I promise." Cody resolved easily. 

"Good!" Upamon declared. "I say our very first tradition is that the very first Christmas candy cane is mine! You can have the very second one." 

Cody sighed and hugged his little partner in agreement. "It's a deal Upamon." Now it was time to get going. 

In short order the book was returned to it's shelf, Upamon was in his hiding place, and Cody's creations were safely wrapped and back in his backpack. Cody put the backpack on after the addition of his jacket, because the Christmas place could be a little chilly, even if it was indoors. He left his room and informed his mother and grandfather he would be out for a short visit with Yolei if that was alright, and to ask that his lunch be saved until he returned, if that was no trouble. 

"That's fine Cody." His Mom approved. "Just be sure to take your key, because Grandpa and I will be out shopping most of the afternoon. I'll set your lunch by the microwave." 

"OK Mom." Cody bowed to her "See you later." The small boy turned and bowed to his Grandpa Hida. "Bye Grandpa, good luck shopping with Mom." The older man laughed at the potential humor of his grandson's well wishes and sent the boy on his way. 

It didn't take Cody long to reach the hatch of the Christmas place. He pulled it open, and mentally laughed to remember how the now familiar squeak the hinge made had first frightened him. He climbed down the anchored utility ladder and turned on the light switch right by its base, then returned part way up the ladder to pull the door closed. He'd surprise Yolei this year. Cody set up his homemade Digieggs on a small stool they used as a table here. Then the youngster carefully scripted out a gift tag and tied it between the two objects. The only thing to do now was to sit and wait for Yolei as his wristwatch wound up to 1:00 PM. 

1:00 PM became 1:15 PM, and no Yolei. This didn't worry Cody. Girls, especially older girls were usually a little late. 1:15 PM stretched to 1:30 PM, and still no Yolei. She'd never been this late to the Christmas place before, but Yolei would never do something so terrible as not come, The Child of Reliability was sure of that. 1:30 PM became 1:45 PM, and finally Cody heard Yolei above, entering the basement and singing a carol at the top of her lungs. The small boy smiled, but reminded himself to keep quiet for the sake of surprise. He was remarkably good at quiet. Yolei stopped singing and the trap door creaked open. She wasn't looking down inside yet, and Cody stood, moving under the hatchway, ready to be seen and announce his surprise. That's when he heard another voice calling Yolei. It was the voice of Ken Ichijouji. 

"Yolei, what are we doing down here?" Ken asked in his soft post-Emperor voice. 

"You'll see, It's the perfect little private spot, and we don't even have to leave the apartment building. Hey, that's strange, the light's on." Yolei told him. She started down the ladder. Cody, stunned and repelled, numbly shuffled back against the far wall and slumped to a seat without making a sound. 

"Maybe it's not so private." Ken both cautioned and teased as Yolei was still perched atop the ladder, her head well above the hatchway. 

"No way." Yolei assured. "The only people who even know about this place are me and ..." Suddenly the tall girl's face went white and she practically jumped down the rest of the ladder, then turned -- "Cody! Oh no!" She couldn't bear the way her little friend was looking at her right now, and averting her eyes to what was obviously his Christmas place present to her was even worse. Ken, with newly restored chivalry, had rushed down the ladder to see what had prompted Yolei's rapid descent. Yolei looked at Ken desperately and whispered "Please, oh please tell me this is December 17th and not December 18th." 

"No Yolei." Ken revealed. "Today is December 18th, one week before Christmas. He took in the situation, with Cody Hida looking stricken, and Yolei suddenly mortified. "Am I missing something here?" 

Before Yolei could whisper a response, Cody answered for her while standing. "No Ken, you aren't missing a thing." The smaller boy's voice was controlled with tight politeness. "I was expecting Yolei here, for a reason that really shouldn't concern you, but it seems Yolei was confused about what day it was. She brought you here, not expecting me to be here at all. Is that right Yolei.?" 

The stare was withering, his stance so rigid, but it was Cody's voice that totally unnerved Yolei now. His voice was calm. He should be yelling at her right now, crying -- anything but asking questions in that calm voice that refused to let the anger he had to be feeling out. It was like her Dad's 'I'm very disappointed' speech, the one that always meant real trouble. The shame devastated her, and the pent up anger wasn't good for him, which added to her guilt. "Oh Cody, I am so sorry ... I did think this was actually yesterday and not today, which it is today instead of yesterday." Silence ... OK, humor wasn't going to cut it. "I wasn't thinking about this being our place, our Christmas place. I totally blanked." 

"I should go." Ken offered, now completely uncomfortable in the small boy's presence. 

Cody shook his head "I'm leaving so you don't have to." He rushed on his empty backpack, then stiffly gestured to his crafted dual present. "Those are for you Yolei." he noted with flat calm. The youngster squeezed past them to the ladder before they thought to stop him. 

"No, wait Cody. Please don't go." she begged him. "At least stay and get mad at me. Go ahead, get good and mad, I deserve it and you'll feel better. Then we can talk about this." Yolei put the the odd request in the best light she could. For a moment it looked like Cody might well up and vent at Yolei, like she wanted him to, but only for a moment. Ken was right there, and the smaller boy remembered how the Digimon Emperor had taunted him for actually being a 'little boy'. Now was not the time to prove him right. So Cody remained silent, managed to bow to them, and scrambled up the ladder. He ran from the basement, even as Yolei longingly called his name. 

Back down in the chamber, Yolei was furious -- at herself. "Urgh! How could I have been this stupid Ken?! There were plenty of places we could have gone to talk, but no I had to bring you here to the one place and on the one day that Cody considers just between me and him. Poor little guy. How could I do that to him?!" Her voice was breaking. 

"I was distracting you." Ken suggested, then elaborated. "Look, Cody doesn't like me. Let him blame me then, tell him I messed whatever it was up. He'll blame me anyway, and you'll be off the hook." 

"Ken Ichijouji." Yolei snapped back. "Cody's just trying to figure you out, you know. He's a real black and white thinker, and right now you're a big gray area to him, the way you've changed. He knows you have changed, he just wants to completely understand why." 

"That makes two of us." Ken admitted, stung but trying to be understanding too. 

Yolei sighed. "I'm sorry Ken. I shouldn't be mad at you, and neither should Cody -- not about this. I'm the one he needs to be mad at. Cody knows that inside, he just won't do it and get it over with. I have to fix this. I just hope I can, this was bad.." 

Ken smiled. "Then you'd better go find him. If there's anyone who can reach him I know you can." 

"Why's that?" Yolei wondered, wanting to feel better. 

"Because you reached me." Ken revealed, "I was as bad as bad gets." 

Impulsively Yolei kissed Ken quickly on the cheek and they both blushed. "Not anymore Ken Ichijouji, give it a little more time and even Cody will see that." 

"Whatever you say, Yolei." Ken gasped, trying and failing to take the kiss in stride. 

Yolei sighed again, now more wistfully than unhappily frustrated. "If only Cody would be that easy to deal with." 

Upamon was very concerned. Since Cody's Mom and Grandpa had gone shopping, the little Digimon had felt free to hop around the apartment and await the boy's return. When Cody came back early, Upamon thought things were great, only to discover things were somehow terrible. His young human partner looked like someone had broken all his kendo sticks. Of course, Upamon had tried to find out what was wrong. All Cody could manage was a tortured stare, and the sad disclosure that there wasn't a Christmas place anymore. Then he didn't want to talk about it. The Digimon tried to distract the boy from the mysterious trouble by indicating the lunch of soup and sandwiches his mother had left out to enjoy. Cody told Upamon he wasn't hungry, and the Digimon could have it all. Upamon selflessly resisted the temptation to eat any of the lunch, much less all of it, until Cody had some too. Instead the little yellow friend hopped into Cody's arms as the small boy sat back on the couch. Upamon was intent on comforting Cody for as long as he needed to think out the problem. Then they could both eat. 

Cody was lost in thought, or rather thoughts. He had to face facts. Yolei was thirteen now, and he was just nine. It was only natural and logical that she would seek ... companionship ... with someone closer to her own age than he was. He knew she still was and always would be his good friend, and he would always declare her as his best friend no matter how old he got, even if she had ... outgrown him in that capacity. That was a logical approach to this whole thing. That should be understandable ... so why wasn't it? Why did this hurt so much right now? Because ... there had always been more of a connection between them than friendship. It was a bond, instant and unspoken, that Yolei loved him. Not in the gushy way, but with a completeness of being. As long as she was Yolei and he was Cody she loved him, no matter what. Was that changing now too? He had thought the Christmas place was part of that love ... and she ... No, Cody pulled back from faulting Yolei. Surely he was the one being childish, having hurt feelings about a discarded utility space in the basement of a building. He wouldn't dwell on this anymore. Better to move on to more practical things, and the numbness would eventually go away. That was the sensible course of action, but this time knowing that could not motivate him to do anything more than sit on the couch and hug Upamon. 

There was a loud knock on the Hida apartment door. Upamon made ready to dive behind one the pillows on the couch, until the knock was followed be an equally loud voice. "Cody. It's Yolei! May I please come in? I think you should know that I intend to stand at this door and talk at this volume until it opens!. So please open up!" 

Cody sighed, set Upamon down on the couch, and went to open the door. He opened it just before Yolei was going to knock again. He tried to make sure his face was as calm as he could make his voice, but wasn't sure he succeeded. Cody also tried to not to notice that she had a white sack with her, overly-secured with a tangle of bright ribbons. The small boy bowed in greeting, but said nothing, lest he risk getting angry at her when he had just decided once and for all not to. 

"Hi Cody ..." she began gently, "... and you too Upamon!" By noticing Cody's partner was out and about the older girl realized the adult Hidas must be gone. "Let me guess, your Mom and Grandpa are out shopping." The boy nodded, which was the politest thing he could probably do, considering the way he must feel. It was going to take an awful lot to get him to unload. Yolei resorted to some of her typical brashness to move into the apartment, and set her package down on a countertop. "Is this your lunch over here Cody? You haven't eaten yet?" Cody just shook his head from side to side. Upamon had very little idea why Cody wouldn't talk to Yolei right now, but he tried desperately to balance the conversation on his own. 

"Cody said he wasn't hungry, and that I could eat all the lunch. Only I don't want to eat any unless Cody does too. Cody also said he doesn't want to talk, and I guess that's why he hasn't said much else." Upamon informed. Cody's green eyes rolled with slight annoyance in Upamon's direction. The little yellow Digimon smiled the look away. Some things had to be blabbed about. 

"He'll eat. and so will you Upamon." Yolei said decisively. "If I save you some of the lunch will you do me a favor?" 

"Sure I will Yolei!" Upamon agreed. "What's the favor?" 

"Cody and I need to work something out, just between us. Could you please go wait in Cody's room for a little while, and don't worry if you hear loud things out here. I know Cody will bring your lunch in when we're finished. It's going to be alright, I promise." Yolei requested. 

Upamon shrugged his wings. "OK Yolei. I'll wait for all clear, or lunch, whichever comes first." She had made a very unusual request, but Upamon knew that Cody's state required something drastic. If anyone could do drastic it was Yolei. The Digimon bounded away to his place in Cody's room. 

Cody was startled to see his Digimon partner yield so quickly to Yolei. It actually prompted the boy to speak to her. "What are you trying to do Yolei?" he asked, careful to maintain his calm. 

It seemed she wasn't finished giving orders, nicely. "Please sit down at the table Cody." Then she answered his question "Me? I'm reheating your lunch so you can eat. That's what I'm doing." 

"No thank you, Yolei." Cody insisted plainly, making no move toward the table. "Upamon's right, I'm not hungry now." 

If he was going to be stubbornly polite with her, then she was going to stubbornly use his own politeness against him. "Cody," she said extra sweetly, "I'm going to the trouble of heating this up, then I'm going to the trouble of setting it on the table for you. Of course, you can let me waste my time by ignoring that or you can recognize it by sitting and eating, your choice." He started to say something, but stopped short. He took a seat at the table. Luckily, Yolei had spent lots of time over here, she knew the Hida kitchen almost as well as she knew her own. In no time at all the neatly halved grilled cheese sandwich with a bowl of tomato soup sat before Cody -- complete with spoon and napkin. Cody tried to fend it off. 

"It isn't really polite to eat in front of company Yolei. Thank you for the effort, really." 

The girl shook her head. "No dice right now Cody. Eat, please." she demanded, modifying her emphasis with sweetness. She sat down at the table next to him and clearly wasn't budging from her place until he complied. 

Cody conscientiously ate one half of the grilled cheese sandwich and about as much of the soup before the relaxation of Yolei's determined expression told him he could stop. "I'll give the rest to Upamon." he said quietly. "It was good, thanks." Cody reluctantly admitted. 

Yolei set aside the lunch tray and cleared away what wasn't needed just as neatly as Cody would have. Then she returned to the table. "You can take Upamon lunch when we've finished, which we haven't yet. Don't thank me either because I just wanted you to have your strength up for this next part. We're going to talk about what happened downstairs Cody, but first you are going to get mad at me for it." 

"No, Yolei." Cody countered calmly. I decided I won't be angry with you about that. I had some foolish, childish expectations about today, I'll be alright, and I'm sorry if my childishness upset you or embarrassed you in front of ... Ken today. I have no business criticizing your use of time, or who you choose to spend it with. If anything, I was --" 

Yolei slammed her palm down hard on the table to cut him off. "Oh no you don't Cody Hida. I wasn't going to let you blame Ken for what happened, and I'm certainly not about to let you go so far as to blame yourself. You are going to blame me. You are going to get mad at me. Right here and right now!" 

Cody got up in defiance that was excruciatingly calm and patient. "I'm sorry Yolei, but I refuse to be mad at you. I think we should talk about this later so please go home. I'll take Upamon his lunch now and tell him goodbye for you." The youngster bowed. He didn't like dismissing Yolei like that, but it had to be better than something so uncontrolled as yelling at her. If the small boy did not like being dismissive to a friend, he certainly would not have like what happened next if he had seen it coming, because tall and willful thirteen year-old girls were not so easily dismissed. As Cody attempted to move past Yolei to collect the lunch tray she grabbed him. This was not a hug, but a hold -- pinning his arms to his sides and momentarily lifting him off the ground. She spun him away from the countertop and held him fast. 

"Sorry Cody." she stated fiercely. "We're doing this my way, like it or not!" 

When it became clear that his dignified squirms could not free him, he spoke, now noticeably working to stay calm. "Yolei, please let go of me." 

"Nope! Not until you at least start to tell me what I did wrong today, like you mean it. I want to hear it all, and you're not getting loose until I do! I'm bigger and stronger than you are, you know. We might be here all day, but you will do it! Now, tell me what I did wrong! Get mad at me!" Yolei chided roughly. 

Cody knew that he had to give in. If she insisted on hearing his possible complaints, then he would deliver them matter-of-factly. He could do that, at least he thought he could. He started mildly enough. "You ... you were forty-five minutes late, or twenty-three hours and fifteen minutes early, depending on what day you thought this was." 

"What else Cody!" Yolei snapped loudly "Out with it!" 

"You brought somebody else to our Christmas place. Telling about it is one thing, I told Upamon. B-But you led him right to it, and invited him to share it!" Cody didn't realize he shouted that last part. Yolei did not have him in a good thinking position at the time. 

"Now we're getting someplace!" Yolei asserted, continuing to yell in order to force her little friend to do the same. "And ...?!" 

"And ... and that someone w-was Ken Ichijouji! You know I don't like him! You were going to share our place l-like he means the same to you as I do!" The youngster continued, needing little prompting behind the feeling now. 

Oh that hurt, so much that Yolei ached, but she had it coming. She sensed there was more, the deepest hurt Cody was suffering. That had to come out too. "All of it Cody! Please ... let it all go." 

"You forgot, Yolei! You forgot the day! You forgot the time! You forgot that it was our Christmas place! You forgot everything! You FORGOT ME! You did that! It was you. It was --" Cody shuddered and Yolei finally let go of him, but he turned on her confrontationally. His eyes were red and wet, his voice choked. "Why did you do that Yolei?! Why did you forget me?!" Cody sobbed, and collapsed on her, spending his reluctant rage on tears. 

Now she held him again, this time in a warm and gentle embrace. She was in tears herself. "I -- I don't know why I did Cody, but you're right! I forgot it all, even you. You have to believe that I'm so sorry about it, but that doesn't make it right, no excuses. I totally screwed it up. Still, there's one thing even I can't screw up and forget, not ever in a million years! I can't forget how I feel about you. I love you Cody!" Of all the soothing words she could have said those were the three he wanted to hear, and he clung to her believingly. She continued, "I love every cropped hair on your head. I love your manners and bowing, your seriousness ... and even your stubborn streak. I love everything that makes you what you are, and I know you love me just the same way. If I made you doubt that today, that was the worst thing of all." 

"Does that mean that Ken isn't going to ... take my place? Do you love Ken now too?" Cody asked. The questions sounded naive, but he had to know. 

Yolei raised Cody to arms length and looked at him squarely. "Cody, Ken can't take your place, ever. Nobody can. I like Ken now -- I think I like him a lot, but love ... I don't know yet. We older kids talk a good game but love, I mean that kind of love, that's a ways off -- even for TK and Kari. Let me put it this way. Someday when I get married a groom's going to be there. It might be Ken, and it might not. But I already know that you will be there Cody, because we love each other. You might even get a front row seat, as long as I know you won't whack the groom with your kendo stick. Seriously, our love is unique, one-of-a-kind. It won't go away now that I'm officially boy crazy and it won't change when you start turning the girls' heads a few years from now." 

"Yolei ..." Cody blushed, and for the first time since he had fled from her earlier he looked happy. 

"Feeling better?" his older friend asked. 

Cody nodded. "Much." he confirmed simply. 

"Good! Time for your present." Yolei announced, and took him by the hand to lead him back to his seat at the table. She placed the sack holding her gift in front of him, and told him to open it. 

The tangle of ribbons came off easily enough, and Cody set them aside. He reached inside and felt something soft. Cody pulled out what looked like some kind of knitted horseshoe, only the two ends crossed, and there were little velcro tabs affixed to them. "It's very nice Yolei. Is it a scarf?" 

She laughed. "No ... it's one half of eternity." 

"Huh?" the boy was confused. 

To explain, Yolei drew a matching knitted piece from her coat pocket. The girl pressed the velcro tabs of both pieces together to form what looked like an eight, but then turned it sideways. "See, I made one for you and one for me. and when they're together like this they make the symbol for eternity. That's me and you Cody -- together forever. As long as we have these we'll know we have each other, no matter where we are from now on. Do you like it?" 

"I love them Yolei." Cody affirmed sincerely. 

"That's good, because I loved the Digieggs you made. You know ... Ken helped me get them back to my apartment before he went to hang out with Davis. He actually sent me after you. You know he has changed, but its not like flipping a switch Cody. It's a process, and even he's still figuring it out. So will you please give him a little more slack to show everyone he's not evil anymore, including him. That's something extra I'd like for Christmas. 

"Well ... I suppose I could give him more of a chance to sponge the writing from his stone." Cody mused. 

"What?" Now Yolei was confused. 

"Oh I've been reading to Upamon about Scrooge. In fact, I wanted to finish that up after I got back from the Christmas place. Yolei, maybe we shouldn't expect to meet down there anymore, not after today. It might not be the same." the youngster explained and suggested. 

"I have a better idea Cody." the girl revealed. "Let's just promise to get together and give gifts like we have. Wherever we are when we do, that will be our Christmas place, just between us -- and after today I'll try extra hard not to forget, not even by a day. Deal?" 

"Deal." Cody agreed firmly. She sealed the new understanding with a hug, and he with a bow. 

Yolei got that old, adventurous look in her eyes. "Now come on, I want to hear you finish reading to Upamon!" 

"OK, but I better take him his lunch at last. That will make him happier." the boy speculated. 

"Seeing that you're really alright will make him happiest." Yolei predicted as she got the lunch tray for him and they started toward Cody's room. 

So Yolei restored Cody's faith in a Christmas place as part of his special relationship with her. In return, Cody eased his attitude toward Ken Ichijouji. Thus, as tiny Upamon observed, "Oh boy, I'm glad that's over with." Cody and Yolei finally had the celebration they wanted, even if getting to the Christmas place was more eventful than usual. 


End file.
